Mechanical musical instrument



MECHANICAL MUSICALINSTRUMBNT.

2 0. N R A H 0.

Patented Oct. 17, 1882./5

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. H.. ARNO.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

N0.266,071. Patented'OCt. 17, 1882.

n PETERS. PMIQL-nmnpher. www0, n. c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER H. ARNO, OF VILMINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN AUTO- MATIC ORGAN COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,071, dated Oetoloei` 1'7, 1882.

(No model.)

To all t/tom it may concern:

Be it known that I,OL1VER II. ARNO, oi' iilmingtom in the county of Middlesex and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented certain 5 new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments, of which the following is a tull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to .mechanical inusical instruments wherein reeds or other sound 1o devices to be sounded by the passage ot' air through them are permitted or automatically caused to sound in accordance with a prepared music-sheet or strip of perforated paper, which is made to pass through the instrument, and as it so passes to secure the opening and closing through mechanism of valves for the reeds or other sound devices, the organina," so called, being a well-known instrument ot' this class.

The invention consists, first, in a mechanical musical instrument of the arrangement substantially as hereinafter described, and Iabove the raceway for the perforated musicsheet, of the bellows reed-board having reedchambers and reeds, valves to the reed-chambers, and mechanism for operating the valves from and by the passage of the perforated music-sheet over its raceway; second, in a mechanical musical instrument, ot' valves for the 3o reed-chambers severally1 connected to their operating-levers by rods which are arranged between the reservoir-bellows and the bellows opera-ting in conjunction therewith, all substantially as hereinafter described; third, in

a mechanical musical instrument, otI levers to operate the valves for the reed-chambers, provided with detachable and adjustable points or tips, through which to bear upon the unperforated portion and tor enter into the perfora- 40 tions ofthe music-strip as it passes through the instrument.

In the accompanying plates ot' drawings, Plate 1, Figure l is a central vertical section from the front to the rear end ot the instrument; and Fie'. 2 is in part a plan view and a horizontal section on line 2 2, Fig. l. Ilate 2, Fig. 3 is an elevation atthe rear end, with the casing at such end removed and some parts broken away and Others in vertical section.

5o Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line t 4, Fig.

1, Plate l.

In the drawings, A A represent the boards making the two sides, and B and C are boards respectively making the iront and rear ends, all of which are joined in any suitable manner, and, together with the board I), making the top, constitute the casing, and in which the several working parts of the instrument are placed, and as will be now described.

E Il] are exhaust-bellows, four in number. These bellows are placed horizontally two above and two below a common horizontal board, F, which is secured to the side boards, A, and all have vertical air-passages a leading from them to horizontal air-passages b in the horizontal board F, and these several airpassages` open to a common horizontal airpassage, c, which is between the two side boards, A, and has a series of parallel horizontal passages, d, arranged at equal distances apa-rt in a common vertical board, G, secured to the side boards, A, and making one side ot' a vertical reservoir-bellows, H, that at its upper end has a series of airpassages, f, each leading to a separate vertical reed chamber, g, of a common reed-board, I, which is at the upper part of the vertical bellows-board G', and preferably made oi" the same board, although it may he made ot' a separate piece, as particularly shown, and thus in continuation thereof. Ilach reed-chamber g has a reed, 71., vertically placed therein and across the airpassage through the reed-chamber from the air-passage j", connecting it with the bellows, to the upper open end, 7,2, of said chamber.

Z is a valve to the upper open end, 7.', ot' each reed-chamber gf Ihe valves l are similarly hinged at one end, m, and similarly project at their other end, a, beyond and over one side, o, ot' the reed-board I in a direction toward the exhaust-bellows, and the several valves all open in an upward direction and close in a downward direction, and in both movements each swings upon the hinge at its end on.

The exhaust-bellows E E are in pairs, and 95 for those of each pair to operate alternately-- that is, for the one to open while the other closes, and vice versa-the bellows of each pair are connected together by a rod, p, and one of each pair is connected by a separate pitroo man-rod, q, to separate crank-arms o' ot' a common horizontal shaft, s, which is located below the exhaust-bellows, and is there arranged to side at an acute angle to the line of travel and turn in suitable bearings of the side boards, A, and to he driven by acranlr-handle, J, outside otl one side board A of the casing. The rotation of the crank-shaft s works the exhaustbellows E, and through them the reservoirbellows, all substantially as heretofore, the several bellows being otherwise constructed and arranged, as usual, to secure thereby an eX- haustofairthroughthereed-elia1nbers,through the reservoir-bellows, and thence through and out of the exhaust-bellows. r

t is a gear-wheel, secured to driving-crank shaft s, and meshing with a gear-wheel, n, on a horizontal feed-roller, o, placed below the crank-shaft s, and arranged to turn in suitable hearings of the side boards,A A.

w is a horizontal presser-roller, arranged at each end to turn in suitable bearings of a horizontal board, K, which is placed below the feed-roller r, and at its end, toward the front end, B, of the casing, is hung by pivots x to and between the side boards, A, so as to be swung thereon in a vertical direction. The presser-roller fw is directly below the feed-roller t, and it is placed in close Contact therewith by swinging its carrying-hoard K toward the feed-roller and then securing the board in such position by catching the hooks y at the rear end, C, of the casing over its pins or studs s. The bearings of the presser-roller are in blocks a2, arranged to exert a yielding` pressure, and the front end, B, of the casing has an opening, L, through it for the passage of a perforated music sheet or strip, b2, ofpapcr from the outside of the casing first to and over the gradually upward-rising upper surface, c2, beginning at the hinged end of the board K next to and over the flat upper surface, d2, of saine hoard, and thence to and between the feed and presser rollers, and finally out of the casing at the opening M in its rear end, G. rlhis movementof the music-paper is secured by the turning of the feed and presser rollers e te, as usual. The upper surface, c2 d2, ot' the hinged hoard K makes the raceway for the music-sheet, and the iiat portion d2 of this raceway has a series of depressions or cavities, f2. These depressions or cavities are severally parallel to each other and in lines corresponding to the lines ot' perforations in the music-strip, one for each line of perforations, and for each ot' the depressions there is a similar horizontal lever, N. The several levers N are above the perforated paper strip bgand between it and the exhausthellows, and they are arranged in lines parallel with the lines of perforations inthe musicsheet and in vertical planes coincident therewith, and are all hung upon a common horizontal fulcrum-pin, g2, of a common horizontal rail, O, secured to the side boards, A', and each to turn in a separate guide-groove, h2, of said rail. Each lever, preferably, is made of wood, and at its end, toward the feed and presser rollers, it has a vertical metallic stud or pin, t2, screwed into it, so as to project from its under in a line with a row ofthe perforations of the music-sheet, and all so that by the swinging of the lever in the proper direction it can enter into a perforation thereof, and through it into the corresponding recess or depression j'2 of the raceway.

m2 is a bent spring, one for each lever. These bent springs m2 are all fixed at one end, and at the other end each is arranged to press upwardly against the under side of the front arni of its lever N, and thereby to force the rear arm thereof downward and keep its pin t3 to a bearing upon the unperforated portion of the music-strip, and to enter it into a perforation thereof when a perforation comes in line therewith. The spring` m2 ot' eaeh lever N allows the lever to lift at its rear end for its pin to rise from and out of a perforation ot' the music-strip to and upon an unperforated portion as such a portion cornes to said pin.

'n2 is a vertical rod, one for each of thc levers N. Each rod rests upon the upper side of the front portieri of its lever N, and thence it passes upward through a vertical guideopening, o2, (all of which are in a common fixed horizontal rail, (2,) and thence through a guide-opening, p2, in the horizontal exhaustbellows board F, (all of which guide-openings p2 are arranged between the parallel air-passages d, which connect with the air-passages a b ofthe eXlniust-bellows and with the reservoir-bellows H,) and thence to and against the under side ofthe over-projecting end ofa valve, l, to a reed-chamber, g, of the reed-board. rlhe length of each rod a? is such that the valve connected with it will be closed when its lever N comes to a rest, and so long as it has a rest upon an unperforatcd part of the music-strip, and will be lifted and thus opened when the pin or stud l2 of its lever N enters a perforation ofthe perforated strip, and so long as such pin remains therein. These operations of a valve, Z-to wit, the closing and opening thereof-are secured in the iirst instance from the depression of the front portion of its lever N by the elevation of the rear portion thereof and by the elevation of the front portion of its lever by the depression ofthe rear portion thereof, and the lever in the one case receives its movement because of the passage of an unperforated portion ot' the music-strip on stud Z2, working against the force of its spring m2, and in the other case because ot' the passage of a perforated portion of the music-strip and the then action of the s )ring m2.

'ihe top board, l), is in two parts, O and l?, and one, O, of these parts has a section, lt, of glass, which is above and covers the several valves t to the reed-chambers. The part O is hung upon pivots s2 of the side boards, A, so as to be swung upward thereon, and when in position over the valves Z it rests upon the upper side of the other part, l?, which in turn rests upon a shoulder, q2, of cach side board,- A A, and is hung upon pivots yr2 of said boards,

IOO

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IIS

266,071 l y a so as to be swung upward. In Fig. 1 the two parts ot' the top board, D, are shown in dotted lines as swung upward.

In the mechanical musical instrument above described all the workin gparts except the raceway K and presser-roller w are above the pert'o-A rated music-strip. The reed-board I is in coutinuation of the vertical bellowsboard G, and either m ay be or may notbe made of one and the same piece therewith. The raceway for the music-strip can be swung away, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. l, thus exposing the levers N and their springs m2, so that they can be opera-ted upon ormanipulated, as may be desired, and so that the music-strip can be inserted without interfering with thelevers; and, again, the upward swing of the top I), as described, leaves the bellows, reeds, and their chambers free to be readily handled and operated upon, as may be deemed best. Furthermore, the tips Z2 of the valve-operating levers N, as they are secured in place by screwing them into the levers, obviously are capable ot' being readily attached and detached and adjusted in their projection from the levers, as may be found necessary for the proper operation ot' the levers.

Although bellowsorexhaustng air through thc reeds has been herein particularly shown and described, it is plain bellows for forcing air through the leeds are capable 'of the saine arrangement, and without change, except the usual change of reeds, and that the valves for the reed-chambers would necessarily either have to be provided with springs for holding them closed against the outward pressure of the air upon them or be rigidly connected to their operating-rods a2, and such rods in turn similarly connected to their operating-levers N; but the spring-pressure upon the valves, however, would be most preferable.

Obviously the operating-levers N for the valves may be arranged to be raised by means all as well known, and in this case the racewayboard K may be made stationary.

combination, with a raceway for the travel of a music-strip, ot' bellows, reed-board having reed-chambers and reeds, valves lor the reedchambers, and mechanism for operating the valves by means of the traveling music-strip, and severally constructed and all arranged above said raeeway and music-strip, substantially as described. l

2. In a mechanical musical instrument, a reed-board having reed-chambers and reeds, and valves to said reed-chambers, in combination with rods n2, levers N, music-strip b2, and bellows E H, said rods n2 extending from said levers N through the bellows-board F up to the valves, and all severally arranged together for operation substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a mechanical musical instrument, levers N, havingdetachable and adjustable studs Z2, in combination with the perforated musicsheet and the valves ot' the reed-chambers.

4L. ln a mechanical musical instrument, bellows E E, communicating with bellows H through a series ot'air-passages, a b c d, in combination with rods n2, moving through guideways P2 in the board F, separating the airpassages d, levers N, valves l, reed-chambers g, and reeds h, oi' a reed-board, I, raceway K, and music-sheet b2, all substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof` I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

OLIVER H. Al-NO.

Witnesses:

Enwrn W. BROWN, WM. S. BELLows. 

